The concept of fishing tackle such as fishing bobbers that can be used either as a slip bobber or a fixed line bobber is known in the art. Typically, in the slip bobber mode the fishing line extends freely through a tube in the fishing float. A string stop in the form of a knot is tied onto the fishing line. Usually a bead, which can slide along the fishing line, is placed on the fishing line with the knot forming a stop for the bead and the bead having a larger outside diameter than the tube to form a stop for the fishing bobber. The knot being small can pass through the eyes of the fishing rod and the fishing reel to allow the line with the knot to be wound up on the fishing reel. As one casts the line with the slip bobber and the bead the hook with the bait sinks allowing the fishing line to slide through the slip bobber until the bead engages the knot, which prevents further sliding of the bead along the fishing line. In addition, since the bead cannot pass through the tube in the fishing float it also stops the fishing float from sliding past the knot thus limiting the depth of the hook.
The slip bobbers, which are well known in the art, are also often used to fish in a fixed line mode, that is, the bobber is temporarily attached to the fishing line with a spring clamp that slides over a fishing line that extends through a saw cut on the hollow stem in the fishing float. Unfortunately, the fishing float stems with saw cuts in the hollow stem have sharp edges which can weaken and cut the soft flexible fishing lines. In addition to harshness to the fishing line by the saw cut in the stem of a fishing float the placement of a saw cut in the stem of the fishing bobber weakens the stem, which can cause the stem to break during use. One such fishing float with a spring and saw cut hollow stem is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,082,711. Another such fishing float with a saw cut stem is sold by Carlson Tackle Company Inc. of Cortland, Ohio under the trademark Wing-it™.
An improved line stop is found in a fishing bobber sold under the name Lucky Jack™ by ROD-N-BOBB'S of Eau Claire, Wis. The improved line stop includes a compression spring located around a hollow stem, which is an integral portion of the fixed/slip bobber. The line guide shoulders in the stem of the bobber include rounded or radiused corners to protect the fishing line from nicks and cuts that would weaken the fishing line thus causing the line to break unexpectedly. While the improved line stop is useful as part of a slip bobber it has limited application to slip bobbers.
Although the improved line stop can protect the fishing line from abrasion the spring forms a moving part that can become stuck. In order to avoid a spring that can stick it would be desired to have a line stop for use on fishing tackle that has no moving parts and can be used on slip bobbers as well as other types of fishing tackle.
Oftentimes a fisher person may want to create his or her own tackle, such as a line light or a scent stick that can be quickly attached or detached from a fishing line. Unfortunately, devices for attaching a fishing line to a piece of tackle include extraneous items that render it impractical to use the device, consequently, people who use line lights or scent sticks attach the devices to a fishing line using a rubber band or the like.
The present invention provides improved fishing tackle that eliminates the use of jerry rigging with rubber bands as well as minimizes the opportunity for the fishing line to be weakened by the line stops on the fishing floats.